View source for Leptotyphlops

{{Short description|Genus of snakes}}
{{Redirect|Catodon|the catodon whale|sperm whale}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Leptotyphlops distanti.jpg
| image_caption = Leptotyphlops distanti
| taxon = Leptotyphlops
| authority = [[Leopold Fitzinger|Fitzinger]], 1843
| synonyms = *''Stenostoma'' <small>[[Johann Georg Wagler|Wagler]], 1824 ([[Stenostoma|preoccupied]])</small><!-- should be beetle genus -->
* ''Typhlina'' <small>Wagler, 1830</small>
* ''Stenostona'' <small>[[Frédéric Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1836</small><!-- Should the author be "Georges" Cuvier? -->
* ''Leptotyphlops'' <small>[[Leopold Fitzinger|Fitzinger]], 1843</small>
* ''Eucephalus'' <small>Fitzinger, 1843</small>
* ''Catodon'' <small>[[André Marie Constant Duméril|A.M.C.Duméril]] & [[Gabriel Bibron|Bibron]], 1844</small>
* ''Glauconia'' <small>[[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1845</small>
* ''Rena'' <small>[[Spencer Fullerton Baird|Baird]] & [[Charles Frédéric Girard|Girard]], 1853</small>
* ''Sabrina'' <small>Girard, 1857</small>
* ''Ramphostoma'' <small>[[Giorgio Jan|Jan]] in Jan & [[:fr:Ferdinando Sordelli|Sordelli]], 1860</small>
* ''Tricheilostoma'' <small>Jan in Jan & Sordelli, 1860</small>
* ''Tetracheilostoma'' <small>Jan, 1861</small>
* ''Siagonodon'' <small>[[Wilhelm Peters|W. Peters]], 1881</small>
* ''Stenostomophis'' <small>[[Alphonse Trémeau de Rochebrune|Rochebrune]], 1884</small>
* ''Rhamphostoma'' <small>[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1893</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="McD99">{{cite book |authorlink1=species:Roy Wallace McDiarmid|last1=McDiarmid |first1=RW |authorlink2=Jonathan A. Campbell|last2=Campbell |first2=JA |authorlink3=species:T'Shaka A. Touré|last3=Touré |first3=TA |year=1999 |title=Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference |volume=1 |location=Washington, District of Columbia |publisher=Herpetologists' League |isbn=1-893777-01-4}}</ref>
}}

'''''Leptotyphlops''''' is a [[genus]] of nonvenomous [[Leptotyphlopidae|blind snake]]s, commonly known as '''slender blind snakes''' and '''threadsnakes''',<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=174335 |taxon=''Leptotyphlops'' |accessdate=29 August 2007}}</ref> in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Leptotyphlopidae]]. The genus is [[Endemism|endemic]] to and found throughout [[Africa]]. Eleven species have been moved to the genus ''[[Trilepida]]'', and other species have been moved to the genera ''[[Epacrophis]]'', ''[[Epictia]]'', ''[[Mitophis]]'', ''[[Myriopholis]]'', ''[[Namibiana]]'', ''[[Rena (snake)|Rena]]'', ''[[Siagonodon]]'', ''[[Tetracheilostoma]]'', and ''[[Tricheilostoma]]''.

==Description==
Most species of ''Leptotyphlops'' look much like shiny [[earthworms]]. They are generally black, grey, or blackish-brown and their scales give them a segmented appearance. Their common name comes from the fact that their eyes are greatly reduced almost to the point of [[Vestigial structure|uselessness]], and hidden behind a protective head scale. The species which are called thread snakes are so named because of their very narrow, long bodies.

==Behavior==
All blind snakes including those of the genus ''Leptotyphlops'' are burrowing snakes, spending most of their time deep in loose soil, typically only emerging when it rains and they get flooded out.

==Diet==
The primary [[diet (nutrition)|diet]] of ''Leptotyphlops'' is [[ant]] and [[termite]] [[larva]]e.

==Species==
{|cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 border=1 style="border-collapse: collapse;"
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Common name
! bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |Scientific name<ref name="ITIS" />
! bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |Taxon author<ref name="ITIS" />
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Habitat & Range
|-
!Ethiopian worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops aethiopicus]]''<ref name="RDB">{{NRDB genus|genus=Leptotyphlops}}</ref>
|[[Donald George Broadley|Broadley]] & [[Van Wallach|Wallach]], 2007
|''Habitat:'' Forest, grassland
''Range:'' Ethiopia, Kenya<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |authorlink=species:Stephen Spawls |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops aethiopicus'' |volume=2021 |page=e.T21584239A21584244 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T21584239A21584244.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Cape thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops conjunctus.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops conjunctus]]''
|([[Giorgio Jan|Jan]], 1861)
|''Habitat:'' Grassland
''Range:'' South Africa (Eastern Cape Province)<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |authorlink1=species:Graham J. Alexander |author2=Tolley, K.A. |authorlink2=species:Krystal A. Tolley |author3=Weeber, J. |authorlink3=species:Josh Weeber |author4=Conradie, W. |authorlink4=species:Werner Conradie |author5=Pietersen, D. |authorlink5=species:Darren W. Pietersen |year=2022 |amends=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops conjunctus'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979732A217536604 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979732A217536604.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Distant's thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops distanti.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops distanti]]''
|([[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1892)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, grassland
''Range:'' Mozambique, South Africa (Limpopo Province, North-West Province, Mpumalanga, Gauteng)<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=''Leptotyphlops distanti '' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979746A197419772 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979746A197419772.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Emin Pasha’s worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops emini]]''
|(Boulenger, 1890)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, shrubland
''Range:'' The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Kusamba, C. |authorlink=species:Chifundera Kusamba |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops emini '' |volume=2021 |page=e.T21584272A21584290 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T21584272A21584290.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Howell’s worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops howelli]]'' <ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & Wallach, 2007
|''Habitat:'' Forest, savanna
''Range:'' Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Beraduccii [sic], J. |authorlink=species:Joe Beraducci |author2=Howell, K. |authorlink2=species:Kim Monroe Howell |author3=Msuya, C.A. |authorlink3=species:Charles Andekia Msuya |author4=Ngalason, W. |authorlink4=species:Wilirk Ngalason |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=''Leptotyphlops howelli '' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979760A217807449 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979760A217807449.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Incognito thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops incognitus.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops incognitus]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & [[species:Gillian Watson|Watson]], 1976
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, grassland
''Range:'' Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga), Zambia, Zimbabwe<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |author2=Tolley, K.A. |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops incognitus'' |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979771A120635822 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T44979771A120635822.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Jacobsen's thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops jacobseni.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops jacobseni]]'' <ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & [[species:Sheila Broadley|S. Broadley]], 1999
|''Habitat:'' Grassland
''Range:'' South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga)<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=''Leptotyphlops jacobseni '' |volume=2022 |page=e.T178203A197408045 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T178203A197408045.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Shaba thread snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops kafubi]]'' <ref name="RDB"/>
|(Boulenger, 1919)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, artificial / terrestrial
''Range:'' Angola, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Kusamba, C. |author2=Zassi-Boulou, A.-G. |authorlink2=species:Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops kafubi '' |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979786A44979794 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T44979786A44979794.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Mount Kenya worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops keniensis]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & Wallach, 2007
|''Habitat:'' Shrubland
''Range:'' Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |author2=Malonza, P. |authorlink2=species:Patrick Kenyatta Malonza |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=''Leptotyphlops keniensis'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979800A217807566 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979800A217807566.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Uvira worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops latirostris]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|([[Richard Sternfeld|Sternfeld]], 1912)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna
''Range:'' Burundi, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Pietersen, D. |author2=Verburgt, L. |authorlink2=species:Luke Verburgt |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops latirostris'' |volume=2021 |page=e.T124313370A124313452 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T124313370A124313452.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Goggle-eyed worm snake
[[File:Goggle-eyed worm snake Leptotyphlops macrops.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops macrops]]''
|Broadley & Wallach, 1996
|''Habitat:'' Forest, savanna, artificial / terrestrial
''Range:'' Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Malonza, P. |author2=Spawls, S. |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=''Leptotyphlops macrops'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979811A217807671 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979811A217807671.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Mbanja worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops mbanjensis]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & Wallach, 2007
|''Habitat:'' Artificial / terrestrial
''Range:'' United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Howell, K. |author2=Msuya, C.A. |author3=Spawls, S. |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=''Leptotyphlops mbanjensis'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979823A217807781 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979823A217807781.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Merker’s thread snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops merkeri]]'' <ref name="RDB"/>
|([[Franz Werner|F. Werner]], 1909)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, shrubland, grassland, artificial / terrestrial, introduced vegetation
''Range:'' Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Branch, W.R. |authorlink=William Roy Branch |author2=Wagner, P. |authorlink2=species:Philipp Wagner |author3=Safari, I. |authorlink3=species:Ignas Safari |author4=Chenga, J. |authorlink4=species:Jumapili Chenga |year=2015 |title=''Leptotyphlops merkeri '' |volume=2015 |page=e.T47749549A47749558 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T47749549A47749558.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Black thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops nigricans.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops nigricans]]''<span style="font-size:100%;"><sup>T</sup></span>
|([[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel]], 1839)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, shrubland, grassland
''Range:'' South Africa (Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape)<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=''Leptotyphlops nigricans'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979834A197419932 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979834A197419932.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Black-tip worm snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops nigroterminus]]''<ref name="RDB" />
|Broadley & Wallach, 2007
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, shrubland
''Range:'' Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops nigroterminus'' |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979849A44979854 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44979849A44979854.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Pemba worm snake
 
|''[[Leptotyphlops pembae]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|[[Arthur Loveridge|Loveridge]], 1941
|''Habitat:'' Grassland, artificial / terrestrial
''Range:'' Pemba Island, Tanzania<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |author2=Malonza, P. |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=''Leptotyphlops pembae'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979860A217807882 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979860A217807882.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Pitman’s thread snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops pitmani]]'' <ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & Wallach, 2007
|''Habitat:'' Savanna
''Range:'' Kenya, Rwanda, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Wagner, P. |author2=Branch, W.R. |author3=Chenga, J. |author4=Safari, I. |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops pitmani '' |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979875A44979884 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44979875A44979884.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!N/A
|''[[Leptotyphlops pungwensis]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & Wallach, 1997
|''Range:'' Mozambique<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Tolley, K.A. |author2=Conradie, W. |author3=Farooq, H. |author3-link=species:Harith Farooq |author4=Verburgt, L. |author5=Alexander, G.J. |author6=Raimundo, A. |author6-link=species:Alexandre Felipe Raimundo Missassi |author7=Sardinha, C.I.V. |year=2019 |title=''Leptotyphlops pungwensis'' |volume=2019 |page=e.T44979890A44979892 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44979890A44979892.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Peter's thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops scutifrons full body.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops scutifrons]]''
|([[Wilhelm Peters|W. Peters]], 1854)
|''Habitat:'' Savanna, shrubland, grassland
''Range:'' Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Tolley, K.A. |author2=Alexander, G.J. |year=2021 |title=''Leptotyphlops scutifrons'' |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979898A44979907 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T44979898A44979907.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

|-
!Forest thread snake
[[File:Leptotyphlops sylvicolus.jpg|frameless]]
|''[[Leptotyphlops sylvicolus]]''<ref name="RDB"/>
|Broadley & Wallach, 1997
|''Habitat:'' Forest, grassland
''Range:'' South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province)<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=''Leptotyphlops sylvicolus'' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979913A197420058 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979913A197420058.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
!Tello's thread snake
|''[[Leptotyphlops telloi]]''
|Broadley & Watson, 1976
|''Habitat:'' Savanna
''Range:'' Eswatini, Mozambique<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Verburgt, L. |author2=Pietersen, D. |author3=Alexander, G.J. |author4=Farooq, H. |year=2022 |amends=2020 |title=''Leptotyphlops telloi '' |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979917A217541811 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979917A217541811.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>
|}
<span style="font-size:100%;"><sup>T</sup></span>) [[Type species]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikispecies}}
{{Commons}}
* {{NRDB genus|genus=Leptotyphlops|date=29 August|year=2007}}
* {{inaturalist taxon|32438}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2630951}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Leptotyphlops| ]]
[[Category:Snake genera]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons]]